If you’ve ever found yourself feeling a bit dismayed that your perfect blonde moment has turned a bit brassy, we’re here to tell you that you’re absolutely not alone. In fact, it’s actually pretty common. Things like excessive heat, hard water, sun exposure, and even just good ol’ toner fading can all cause brassy tones to appear in our blonde hair. (Fun fact: The same things can also cause yellowing in greys!)
Of course, we can help lessen this by turning down the temp on our hot tools, getting a filter for our shower head, and using a heat protectant on our hair, but if the brassiness still appears despite our best efforts, fear not. All hope is definitely not lost, thanks to our dear friend, purple shampoo.
New Talent Lauren is telling us more.
Q: What is purple shampoo?
Purple shampoo is a tinted shampoo meant to cancel out any brassy tones found in blondes and yellow tones in greys.
Q: How often should it be used?
Generally speaking, purple shampoos should only used between once a week and once a month, depending on how often you wash. So, if you only wash once a week, use it once a month; if you wash every day or so, once a week is great.
That being said, the purple shampoo we use in the salon, KEVIN.MURPHY’s BLOND.ANGEL.WASH, is super lightweight, so can be used for every shampoo (even if you wash every day) and it won’t overtone or “purple” your hair. It’s formulated with jojoba and sunflower oil, which keeps it hydrating without being heavy, but some may find the lavender oil in it, while healing, to be a bit drying. If this is the case for you, using it less frequently or pairing it with a hydrating conditioner, like HYDRATE-ME.RINSE, should help.
Q: Any restrictions on timing or things to be aware of?
There’s no need to use it in the first two weeks after a lightening service, since the toner applied in the salon will still be present.
With most purple shampoos, be sure not to use them too often, or else you could overtone your hair and make it dull or slightly grey- or lavender-looking. Many of them can also be drying on hair, which is another reason you don’t want to overuse.
Q: Who should use it?
Anyone with blonde hair (lightened or natural) or grey hair.
Q: Who should avoid it?
People who don’t have blonde hair or grey hair won’t see any benefit from using purple shampoo.
Need a purple shampoo recommendation? We use KEVIN.MURPHY’s BLONDE.ANGEL.WASH in the salon and absolutely love it. Infused with lavender, this color-enhancing shampoo contains optical brighteners that neutralize brassy tones, counteract dullness, and enhance shine, all while moisturizing the hair (unlike other purple shampoos) and preventing the color from being stripped away—honestly, just a lovely little refresh for your blonde. (And it also works great on greys!) Pick yours up at any Ginger & Maude salon or by clicking the link below.